Mourning dove Zenaida macroura

Identification Tips:

• Length: 10.5 inches
• Sexes similar
• Medium-sized, somewhat slender dove with very thin neck
• Black bill

Adult:

• Pale buff-brown head, neck, breast, and belly
• Purple and green iridescence on neck
• Small black mark on lower neck
• Medium brown back and upperwings, with large black spots on coverts
• Long tail is pointed at tip
• Dark brown tail with white tips to outer four tail feathers

Juvenile:

• Dark brown mottled head neck and breast
• Scaly neck and upperwings with numerous black spots on coverts and scapulars
• Pale belly
• Medium length tail is pointed at tip

Similar species:

Long pointed tail is distinctive for adults, while black spotting on coverts and pale color help distinguish it from White-winged and White-tipped Doves. Juvenile is easily confused with Common Ground-Dove and Inca Dove, but is longer necked, shows a pointed tail with more white at edges and lacks cinnamon in primaries.

Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.